This post is public out of necessity for the moment, I'm going to lock it later and the progress posts will be locked, FYI. Sorry for two posts in the same night, I need to share this with some people I am getting opinions from. This is going to be my SDCC masquerade costume this year, which is original; I couldn't pick something else that I wanted to do and since anime conventions don't allow original, I thought maybe it was better. However, SDCC was running behind on confirmations so I did not hear until *last week* that I was in, leaving me with a terrifyingly short amount of time to finalize my design and complete my costume. Going original may be my savior because I can make changes out of necessity that I couldn't if I was following someone else's design . . . but I'm still really hoping I don't explode.

Boring boring boring. I think I may have no imagination. x_x; I should not call them "costume breakdowns", that's inviting disaster XD; (I start every costume with a breakdown, and follow it with many more, lol.) Well, I guess if anyone artistic feels inspired to doodle something, or anyone has a "it'd be cool if..." type thought, throw it at me. I might not incorporate it, but who knows, maybe if someone says "I've always liked ____" . . . I'm sure people have seen more game designs than I have, more artists than I have; heck, I'm even jonesing for more inspiring music than I have because I have this weird feeling like I know what the costume should *sound* like but I don't have enough tracks.

I have been neglecting this journal because I haven't actually been making costumes. ^^; I only started again like . . . two weeks before Anime Central, and I haven't finished those new ones yet. But I will have some progress photos on those to share as soon as I have a chance to upload them. I also realized that there were comments from months ago I never replied to. D: I'm really sorry! I run my LJs from three separate browsers and it gets confusing. >_o I am, however, about to launch into my masquerade costume for SDCC this year, so except more epic angstwork for that at least.

I am hoping to finally do a proper shoot with Orlouge in a few weeks, fingers crossed that goes down, since I have to strongarm my brother into being my photographer. I *did* wear the costume at Anime Central, however (which I was hoping was for the video game group shoot but it got cancelled). A lot of people think the headpiece is really excruciating to wear because I don't move my head much, it's not very comfy (and it stays sore for a few days), but I mainly try to stay still so I don't forget that the horns stick out VERY far and take out someone's eye. ^^; I admit I haven't scoured the web for hallway photos, but for now you can have two silly ones my friends took. lol. Massively OOC FTW. ( UR DOIN IT WRONGCollapse )

Heaven help me I know people were snapping photos without the boots on, when I was making a fabulous statement with white socks and sneakers - it was several blocks from the Embassy Suites to the Hyatt and I couldn't get to anywhere to put the boots on. (There may also be "can you hear me now?" Orlouge on cell shots.) Hah. But I did also get to crab-walk past Stevenson High's prom goers on the way back to the hotel. :) MY PROM OUTFIT IS BETTER THAN YOURS.

This post is designed to be a final wrap-up for the Orlouge project. It will have some repetition for those of you who've been reading the journal, but the point is sort of to archive the costume and process in one post. I am still hoping to have a better photoshoot soon with this costume, on a day when it's not just rained however many inches. (I couldn't go outside, and my house ≠ Orlouge's castle.)

I should either be working or in bed, but my feet are really killing me from standing on the tile working on the longer wig (long story but it's getting a similar dye job to the headpiece wig) so I had to sit down for a couple minutes . . .

Yeah so . . . disaster kind of struck I guess. My emergency batch of Magic Smooth to finish the armor was defective. In hindsight, we've realized that the previous batch was probably also defective - I thought it seemed a little funny but assumed it was related to temperature/humidity. The stuff done with the FIRST batch, which was from a different supplier, is kind of night and day from the stuff done with the second batch; and the third batch? Not useable. No-doubt-about-it defective. And there is no way to order more in time; sanding nonstop for several days has availed little, even with the help of both my parents; and there is no time to mail order "Plan B" supplies. Two backup plans are shot down because of lack of drying time.

So I am facing up to the very real possibility of having to remake the armor in the next three days using a completely different method. Basically the resin may not be sanding well at all because it never fully cured - all the layers except the bottom-most may have faulty resin batch. Indents are too large for super glue, spackle doesn't get good finish; Orlouge probably doesn't shop at the Scratch-and-Dent Armory. My only other option is tomorrow morning to use the slightly dodgy 2-part resin from the hardware store. It sets up fine, but has the consistency of jar icing (hate that stuff, always use homemade) and may simply worsen the situation (lots of dodgy layers of resin does not equal one finished layer) . . .

Ongoing very heavy work on the shoulder armor and the piece that's going to hold the whole shebang up, in addition to trying to get to the final sand on the remaining two headpiece sections (no photos of those). ( armor progress x2Collapse )

I got in my order of extension hair today, I came up with an evil plan to (hopefully) easily set some extensions in the lower wig. I didn't want to dye it to get color streaks/blends like the top wig because it's against way too much white fabric for my comfort. I also finally caved and decided I'm remaking the tassels for the jacket (I know, I know); there was a dyeing incident which completely defies logic and physics and I'm just not wiling to settle after having worked on this for so long. (At least tassels are a no-brainer.)

Trying to get back into the swing of working now that I'm a) home and b) don't need to work on something else. I sent in my registration for the San Diego Comic-con masquerade. @_@ I haven't gotten any sort of confirmation yet, though, so I don't know if I'm in, or waitlisted, or what.

So . . . what am I up to? ~ Re-dyeing the stupid tassels. Can't get the color/gradation how I want. ~ Did the Magic Smooth on the inside of the armor pieces. Also, somehow I failed to notice one of the pieces got distorted; it will have to be redone. Doh. But I am very very close to being done with the Magic Smooth (and ready to spend the rest of my life sanding). ~ Putting some bling subtle decorative sequins on the train. ~ Lamenting my inability to use a rolled hem foot.

Rest of sewing . . . the skirts still need to be hemmed and I've been having no luck using a rolled hem foot. Not sure what the solution is there; doing it by hand, or faking a rolled hem with the machine (fold it, sew, fold again, sew again). The cumberbund is done. Still haven't cut out the pants but that's not a time-consuming project to make.

As far as the "hardscape" goes, the non-Magic Smooth pieces are done and painted, will put pics up latler. I've got another 5 pound kit of Magic Smooth in now. But I'm no longer planning to be at 100% for ACen, because I just don't think I have enough time to get the pieces properly sanded. Dunno.